In This Issue
A Note from Eliza
Thank You!
Conducting Intern, Jessica Cosley
In Memory of Carolyn Boyd

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The Orange County Women's Chorus creates and performs outstanding choral literature, engages and enriches our audiences, and celebrates women in music.
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Eliza Rubenstein, Artistic Director  
  
"There is a reason Mary is everywhere...."
                             ---Nadia Bolz-Weber
 
This summer we took on the world, and this December we're bringing the world home to you! Specifically, we're singing a program of music from lands near and far about one of the most intriguing women in history: the Virgin Mary.
 
The centerpiece of the program is Conrad Susa's meltingly lovely Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest, which the OCWC last performed thirteen years ago, and which has been a much-requested work (by our singers and fans alike!) ever since. This collection of tunes from the Americas and Europe, ingeniously arranged for chorus and guitar, harp, and marimba, will have you humming its melodies for days. You'll also hear works from Sweden, Spain, Japan, and Canada, plus classics by Praetorius, Poulenc, and Brahms, an African-American spiritual, a reprise of Joan Szymko's "Ave Maria" (one of our all-time favorites!), and some extra treats from our talented soloists.
 
Come share the songs and stories of Mary, and share a beautiful reception with our singers after each performance! We've never worked harder or sounded better, and we can't wait to sing for you this holiday season.

Saturday, December 5, 2015 * 7:00 p.m.
St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church
18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach - map   
 
 
 
Sunday, December 6, 2015 * 3:00 p.m.
Newport Harbor Lutheran Church
798 Dover Drive, Newport Beach - map   
 
 
Adults: $25      Seniors (65+):  $20      Students (with ID): $10
 
Group discounts of 10% available for groups of six or more!  
Order online today!

OCWC on stage at the International Musical Eisteddfod, Llangollen, Wales
Thank You for Making Dreams Come True!

Thank you to everyone who supported our journey to England and Wales in July 2015. It was a truly memorable, life-changing experience for many of us, and we couldn't be more grateful. 

Click on the image above to visit the official recordings of the choir competitions in Llangollen. Scroll down to find us in Adult Folk Song Choirs (in which we placed third!) and Female Choirs.


Here are a few comments from our singers, in their own words:

"Thank you for your support financially, musically, in tangible [ways] or intangible...I feel you all were with us in spirit, every moment of our tour."

"We got along so well together. I think the fact that we ended up liking each other so much will be reflected in our ability to sing well together and to welcome new participants.We are all women who make (or have made) a difference in the world.  I learned that we are more than singers.  We are a remarkable group of people." 

"It was a fantastic trip of a lifetime, and competing in the Eisteddfod was a dream come true. It was so exciting to experience singing in so many different venues - a castle, a cathedral, a church and a tent, and to hear different choirs from other countries. It was a pleasure to present a portion of our repertoire to new audiences. It is thanks to the generosity of our donors that so many members of the OCWC were able to make this trip."

So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. We can't wait to see you in the audience this season!
Introducing our 2015 - 2016 
Conducting Intern, Jessica Cosley!

Jessica Cosley
We began our conducting internship program in 2002, and it is a cornerstone of our mission today: to celebrate women in music in a variety of ways, including by giving a promising young woman conductor the opportunity to practice her craft beyond the college classroom. We are delighted to welcome Jessica Cosley as our 2015 - 2016 Conducting Intern!

Jessica is a 2011 graduate of California State University, Fullerton, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts Music. She returned to CSUF to complete her education courses and obtained her teaching credential in music. Jessica began her first full-time teaching position in August, as the choir teacher at Valley High School in Santa Ana.

Jessica's conducting debut
A native of New Hampshire, Jessica also lived in Connecticut, California, and Hong Kong while growing up with her musical parents, who played guitar (dad) and violin (mom) and sang in the church choir. Jessica began piano lessons at age 4 and has been singing "for as long as I can remember." She made her conducting debut at a very early age; the date stamp on the original photo says she is 18 months old! In addition to piano, Jessica played clarinet, trumpet, and in the percussion ensemble during her elementary through high school years. Jessica says, "This past summer right after I earned my teaching credential, I was privileged to tour Paris with the CSUF University Singers. Coming home to a high school teaching job really inspired me to want to give world class music experiences to everyone in my community, especially those who don't normally get to experience choral music."

Married in July 2015, Jessica lives in Downey with her husband, Matt, and their lovable shelter rescue dog, Winston. Please join us in welcoming Jessica to the Orange County Women's Chorus. We know she'll help us engage and enrich our audiences with memorable musical experiences!
In Memoriam 
Carolyn P. Boyd
by Mary M. Watson

Carolyn Boyd
On July 19, 2015 Carolyn Patricia Boyd, Ph.D., Alto II and beloved member of the Orange County Women's Chorus, died of cancer at home, with her family. For eight years after the diagnosis, she sought the most aggressive treatments available to her and was able to perform with us almost until the end. We miss her voice, but most of all, we miss Carolyn the person - the quiet demeanor, the wicked sense of humor, the gentle counseling, the incredible intelligence and her obvious love for all of us, the OCWC.
 
Eliza and Carolyn both joined the OCWC family in 2000--a bond they shared for the last fifteen years. Humble about her incredible musical talents, Carolyn was always ready to push someone else into the limelight.
 
Carolyn's professional accomplishments were numerous, and she was a distinguished historian of modern Spain. She served as a professor of history, chair of history, and dean of graduate studies at UCI. You can read more about her academic career here.

Carolyn lived with grace and gusto. We all knew her as an accomplished musician, even though she never touted her training (she studied piano through her freshman year at Stanford) or her abilities. She was special to all of us who had the opportunity to know her.
 
Carolyn's husband, Frank Bean, and her family asked us to sing at her memorial service on November 1, and we were honored to do so, celebrating the life of an amazing woman in music.
The Orange County Women's Chorus
Eliza Rubenstein, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sarah Hughes, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
23802 Avenida de la Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA  92653
(949) 451-8590
www.ocwomenschorus.org